The Bucket List
by HecateA
Summary: He knows he's going to die.  He knows he wishes he wouldn't.  And he knows why he wishes that.  Oneshot.


**Okay, so last weekend Ari died. Yes, I just finished Saving the World, and I'm desperately waiting for the next one. Bad Hecate, writing stuff about a series you don't know about. But Ari died! And although he was never one my favourites, and I don't know if in a freak turn of events he'll come back or what (and I'd appreciate not being told) here's what emerged in my head nearly the second of:**

**Disclaimer: I'm not the owner of the Max Ride series, you'll have to talk to James P for that.**

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><p><span>The Bucket List<span>

It was a dumb idea. A weak and childish idea- and it wasn't like anything would ever happen. But once Ari had figured out he was dying, once he'd accepted that, he made a bucket list. All the things he might have tried, or what he'd have wanted to try if he hadn't been a mix-'n-match to evil scientists with way too much funding and DNA banks.

He kept it in his pocket, and he took it out a few times. It was even ripped down the center because of the sabre-claws. He took it out when nobody was watching, so they wouldn't see how much he minded dying even if there wasn't anybody to care about what he minded or not.

The flock was sleeping- all cuddled in their corner, and Ari was left alone. It was at times like those that he took the list out.

It had been written down for him by a scientist at the School since he couldn't do it. One that was about to be exterminated anyways. When the people knew too much to be fired, but they had to be ridded of or gotten out of the lab- they were exterminated. Ari wasn't sure how. Ari didn't want to know.

He wondered if in those last seconds- the seconds in which they were being exterminated for no good reason and knew it- if the scientists connected with Ari and the others. If they realised what life they were forcing them to live- a life where you were going to die even quicker than other people died in their lives; like they were knowing right then. Ari doubted it. Ari doubted that the guy even had a bucket list- he probably wasn't scared for his life, and he'd still gotten to do stuff he liked. Ari hadn't. But he was going to die anyways.

He was even surer of that a few days –or maybe it was hours? Time was so hard to keep track of. Evil Ms. Max's Mom had basically just brought execution day sooner for Ari, but she'd brought it on the flock. They didn't deserve it. They were half-bird, but inside, they were birds. They shouldn't be locked up –cage or dungeon, either one-, their wings shouldn't be clipped, they shouldn't be controlled. He saw it in the nervous way frustrated Max was still up and pacing the cell. When she had her back turned he took out the list. He couldn't read the words, but he knew what they said.

-Climb an escalator that's going down

-Find a wolf in a forest and see if they could talk

-Chug a whole pack of wasabi

-Sniff a highlighter and see if you really can get high because of that

-Flip a swing above the top bar (while being on it)

- Karaoke night in some bar

-Watch a PG13 movie_ at_ the movies with popcorn and soda and everything. Even a friend.

-Go to one of those gourmet burger places

-Learn to speak pig Latin

-Run through somebody else's watering system

-Finish the last Star Wars movie (at last!)

-Watch the 3 prequels that everyone says sucks

-Sleep under the stars

-Learn to skate

-Get a tattoo

-Try every flavour of ice cream at one of those food trucks

-Teach a dog how to sit (preferable a non-mutant dog)

-Roast marshmallows on a fire

-Have a snowball fight

-Go to Disney world (but not to chase the flock or something)

-Make Dad proud

But sitting in a dungeon, chained to a wall with Max… Her wings were relaxed, not like she was about to fly away or make space between them. She wasn't snarling some ironic or mean comment to him. He wasn't leading a pack of Lupine-men or Robots against her.

What Ari got before dying, was much better. And it wasn't even on the list.

Ari got a family. Or at least a sister.


End file.
